Towel dispensing cabinet



Sept. 9, 1941. R. G. BIRR ETAL TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Filed Aug. '17,1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l .2 m a w w m 06 fawmj $6 Z 57 ww/ 3 V Sept, 9,1941. R. ca. BIRR ET AL 2,255,509

TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Filed Aug. 17, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NM m EFL-mfiE mm Patented Sept. 9, 1941 2,255,609 TOWEL DISPENSING CABINETRudolph G. Birr, Lombard, and Albert Grunwald, River Forest, 11].,

C. assignors to Steiner Sales Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, acorporation of Utah Application August 17, 1938, Serial No. 225,398

11 Claims.

provide space for facilitating introduction of the toweling toward thesoiled towel roll and movable to another position to preventintroduction of the hand after the cabinet has been serviced.

This invention is also an improvement over the invention shown inReissue Patent 17,352 in which patent means is provided for facilitatingthe loading operation in the manner above mentioned. In this Steinerpatent part of the dispensing mechanism (a roll) is mounted on aspace-making element and moves with this element toward and away fromthe rear wall of the outer casing. In the device of this invention nopart of the dispensing mechanism is so mounted and the space-makingelement moves independently of any part of the dispensing mechanism.

Another object is to provide a chamber for the clean towel roll whichhas a single member as the sole means forming its back wall, said memberbeing curved to conform to the curvature of the supply roll.

Features of the invention include; the scheme bywhich a movable elementas means to facilitate or prevent introduction of the hand can bemanipulated by means at the front of the cabinet for the purpose setforth; and the provision of means with which a closed door of thecabinet cooperates to positively hold a movable smoothing element insmoothing position when the door is closed.

Other features relate to the construction of the chamber for the cleantowel roll by means of parts respectively carried by casing and unit;the use of a single element for the back of the clean towel chamberwhich functions as a spacemaker, as a partition for separating cleanfrom soiled toweling, and as a towel-smoothing means; the curving ofthis single element, and the relation of the rolls of the dispensingmeans to it and to the bottom and front wall of the cabinet to form aclean towel chamber in which there is a minimum of waste space between afull roll of clean toweling and the walls of the chamber.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will also appear inthe description of the 5 drawings, which illustrate a preferredembodiment of the invention and in said drawings- Figure 1 is a verticaltransverse section showing the toweling in place and the doors closed;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2 of I Figure 1 showing amongother things the partition plate and means by which-it is controlledfrom the front of the cabinet to be forcibly held in operative position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan section on line 33 of Figure 1;and

' Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating how thesmoother'barssecu-r'e the upright plates of the inner unit.

In the drawings, numeral! generally designates the outer casing havingsides 2' and 3 rounded at their tops and bottoms. The bottom of thecasing Iis indicated'at 4. The numeral 5 indicates what is hereindesignated as a bottom door and this door is hinged as at B'to thebottom 4 of the cabinet. This door closes about one half of the frontopening of the cabinet and forms part of the bottom and has at its upperend projections 8 which are engageable by latches generally designated9. Numeral ill indicates an upper door or cover which forms part of thetop and closes about one-half of the front opening. This top door l0laps and covers the latching projections B ofthe lower door and theheads of the latches. The lower edge l2 of the upper door and the upperedge l3 of the lower door are so formed as to define when closed adispensing slot or opening l4 downwardly through which the towelingextends.

' In this embodiment of the invention there is an inner unit which isdetachably secured in the outer casing; The unit includes a pair of sideplates (see Figures 1 and 2) respectively designated 20, 2|, thevertical rear edge of each plate having a'flange 22 and the back havingscrews 23 in this instance spot welded therein, and with which openings24 in the flanges'are engaged ings not shown, and there are screws 32passing through the openings to secure the flanges together. There arepreferably two or three screws used for each lapped pair of flanges.

It is noted thatthe plates 20, 2| are spaced inwardly from thecorresponding sides 2, 3 of the horizontal plane. measuring roll and theback roll 4i operates a cabinet, the right plate being spaced a greaterdistance to provide for the reception of a time 1 stop mechanism, notshown. On the back 35 (see t Figure 1) of'the outer casing near thebottom are transversely alined open top sockets 36 (only one of which isshown) made by punching the metal inwardly. These sockets may be formed1 in other ways.

The bottom of each flange 22 of each plate fits into a correspondingsocket. This openings 24 with screws 23, and do likewise for theopenings of the front flanges 28, 29.

Another feature of the invention relates to the at the back of thecabinet for facilitating introduction of the toweling, for connectionwith the soiled towel takeup roll, and for smoothing the toweling as it'approaches the takeup roll. This means includes, see Figure 1, a plateH5 mounted to swing on a horizontal axis, provided herein by 7 means ofaxially alined pivoted screws H6, one

screw in each plate 2%) and 2!. This plate is adapted to swing forwardlyto the dot-and-dash line position shown. This plate cooperates with apair of parallel bars H8, H9, upper and lower,

arranged transversely and at the back of the in-' arrangement of twodoors for the cabinet so that 5 they cooperate to complete the formationof a discharge opening, and so that each can be swung from closedposition respectively to vertical position above and below the cabinet.Another fea- 3 ture is that the top door forms a part of the. top

wall, as well as apart of the front wall of the cabinet, and that thebottom door forms a part of the bottom wall, as well as a part of thefront Wall of the cabinet. Thus, 'as both doors are 3 opened thefront-to-back dimensions of the top and bottom walls are reduced tofacilitate access to the parts for servicing or repairing.

In the preferred form of the invention, the

dispensing mechanism (see Figure 1) is constitutedby a single unitincluding parts which are mounted on the two'plates 2e, 2! abovedescribed.

This mechanism includes a pair of rollers having their axes arrangedsubstantially in .the' same The front roll 40 is called the soiled toweltake-up roll 42 by frictional engage ment with the toweling 43 thereon.1 Rolls 41, 4B

are suitably journaled in the'plates. Each roll has at one end asprocket gear (not shown) which lies atthe outer side of plate 20 or atthat'side nearest the side wall 2 of the cabinet. I These gears areconnected by a sprocket chain by which means they operate in'unison sothat after the toweling loop is formed and'adjusted' at the time ofloading the cabinet, this loop is maintained by causing the same amountof soiled toweling to be taken up, as is pulled out by the user.

Associated with the measuring roll is a roll Nib I known as apinch-roll, see Figure 1. ,This roll is vertically movable in slots IBI,of the plates 28,

2| to permit proper introduction ofthe towel.

upper narrower parts H12 of the slots NH of'the plates are utilized askeepers for a latch bar [83, see Figure 1, and for an arm I06 of a lockI'M.

In order to prevent engagement between soiled andrclean toweling as thesoiled towel roll increases in diameter there is provided'a guard plate,I I0 swingable on a pivot HI parallel with 3 This plate extends entirelyacross the space between the inner sides of the plates 20, 2i.

the axes of the rolls 40, 4|.

guard is opposed to the pinch' and measuring rolls.

As before stated avaluable feature of this inl vention is, the means bywhich spaceis obtained ner unit near the back wall of the cabinet. Thesebars are attached by having their ends extending through slots in theplates 20, 2!. The ends as thus extended through the plates, are bent.The

end of'one bar is bent upwardly as at H8c and the end ,ofthe other baris bent downwardly as at H9c (see Figures 3 and 4) to rigidly hold theparts. Bar H8 has its forward portion turned upwardly and rearwardly toform .a smoothing edge l2il, and bar H9 has its forward portion turneddownwardly and rearwardly to form a smoothing edge l2! The upper edge ofthe plate H5 has a smoothing edge I23 cooperative with or lying betweenthe edges I20, l2l for smoothing. Each of the parallel smoothing barshas two forward extensions H811, Him, the extension being arrangedlaterally near the plates 29, H. The extensions are arranged in pairs toform guides (see Figure 2), for the soiled toweling, and to preventover-movement of the toweling in adibe traversed by the guide extensionsof the lower smoothing bar H9. See Figure 1. The movable plate H5 formsthe back of th chamber for the clean towel and also acts as, a partitionseparating the clean and soiled toweling. This plate together with sideplates 20, 2|

plate is in the full line position of Figure 1, a

clean towel roll of large dimension can be placed inthe chamber, seedot-and-dash line- I30. The length of the radius of generation of plateH5 is about equal in length to the radius of a fullroll of toweling, Byusing a thin plate and curving it and pivoting it and locating it asshown, an

optimum of space-making and roll-receiving ca- 7 pacity is obtained. a

In Steiner Reissue Patent 17,352 of which this invention is animprovement, there was no movable part as the sole back forming elementfor the clean towel chamber, nor was there a. removable unit upon whichany movable part was mounted to be removed therewith, nor was thechamber formed in part by the outer casing and in part by means on aremovable inner unit. 7 In the present device all of .the dispensing andtakeup mechanism is mounted on a unit which is stationary but which iseasily removable or easily assembled, and the space-making element 7 isarranged below both rolls and moves independently of them. Also in thepresent device all that'is necessary is that the operators right handreach over the top of the rolls to meet the left hand which is pushingthe towel upwardly through the space provided by the forward movement ofthe partition and guard element 5. This element I I5 also acts as apart'of the soiled towel smoothing means. i

In some types of cabinets the unit upon which the dispensing mechanismis mounted has been arranged pendently within the cabinet 'to swingoutwardly on a pivot arranged at its top, and by this swinging theentire unit outwardly a space was made. at the back for the upwardintroduction ofthe. end of the toweling for connection with the takeuproll, but in that case the bottom of the clean towel chamber moved withthe inner unit. In the present case there is a normally fixed unit uponwhich all of the dispensing mechanism is mounted and the chamber for theclean towel roll has a bottom formed solely by the bottom of thecabinet, and has a back and; sides formed solely by parts of the unit,the back acting as a partition and being movable to permit introductionof the hand for the purpose heretofore mentioned. Thus there is a backwhich separates soiled from clean toweling, which is movable forwardlyand, rearwardly and which when in position to prevent introduction ofthe hand is also positioned to act as a smoother for soiled wettoweling. This part is removable with the unit in this embodiment, butit may be mounted or pivoted to the bottom of the outer casing orcabinet instead, ofto the unit. The

mounting of this plate on the unit for removal go therewith'is a featureas isits use as the sole back-forming element. of the clean towelchamber.

When the plate H5 is in smoothing position the space previously providedfor the lIltIOdllC-i;

tion of the hand is closed so that the hand can no longer be passedupwardly. In order to move the plate to and hold it in smoothingposition, as well as to move it forwardly, there are provided, seeFigures 1 and 2, a pair of bars I32 one arranged at the outside of eachvertical plate 20, 2! of the unit. Each bar hasan in-turned end I33loosely fitting in an arcuate slot I34 of a forwardly projecting flangeI35 of the plate H5, and each bar at its forward end passes through anopening or openings I31 of vertical flanges 28 or 29 of the unit, andouter casing. In Figure 2 the left hand bar I32 passes through openingsin flanges 28 and 29. The right hand bar passes through a single openingin'flange 28. The rear in-turned end I33 of each bar passes through ahorizontal slot I33 which is alined withthe aforesaid slots of theflanges. The forward ends I40 of these slots act as stops to limitforward motion of the plate H5. The width of 4'? the slots is less thanthe width of the bars I32 and the width of each bar is reduced where itpasses through the slot. The placement of the clean toweling in thecabinet may act to move this swinging plate toward smoothing position.When the lower door is closed its inner surface engages the outer end ofthe slide bars to forcibly complete the rearward movement of the plateand to forcibly hold the plate in smoothing position.

I When it is desired to service the cabinet both upper and lower doorsare opened. The smoothingand partitioning plate H5 is brought to itsforward position, see dotted lines, Figure 1, a

fresh roll of clean toweling is held within the chamber and the end ofthe toweling is brought ,upwardly, between the rolls 40 and I03, thepinch rolliill'i having first been raised inits slots. The

'toweling is then brought downward to form a loop, thence upwardlybetween the space between the partition plate II5 and the back of thecabinet to thetakeup roll 42. As soon as the end of the toweling hasbeen connectedwith the takeup roll and a few turns made on the roll tohold it, the takeup roll 42 is then moved downwardly into the slots 44,so that the toweling engages the sanded roller which is moved by meansof chain 48 in unison and at the same rate of speed as the measuringroll 40. The plate H5 is now moved to the full line position of Figure 1and the door is closed'against the bars I32 whereby smoothing tension onthe toweling by :It will be understood that the smoothing function maybe dispensed with and other smoothing means provided in the cabinet. Itis enough to mount the partition in any suitable way. A feature is tomount the partition so as to be removed with the unit.

r The latches hold the bottom door closed to in turn secure the bars I32againstoutward movement. The ,plate I I5 is thus positively held in aposition to prevent;tampering.

The relations ofthe smoothing edges may be varied from that shown andthere is no intention to be limited to the exact spacial relationsshown.

We claim as our invention:

1. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet having side wallsand having therein between said side" walls a soiled towel takeup roll,said cabinet having an opening upwardly through which the toweling canbe introduced to be connected to the take-up roll, an element within thecabinet and between said side walls movable forwardly and rearwardly inrelation to the back wall of said cabinet to provide sufiicient space toallow hand introduction of the toweling for connection with the takeuproll, a door on the cabinet, and means passing through said side wallsand connecting with said element for moving the same respectively toprevent or permit introduction of the hand, said means including partswhich are translatable to be engaged by the closed door to hold theelement in position to prevent introduction of the hand. 7

2. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet having therein sidewalls and having between said side walls a soiled towel takeup 'roll,said cabinet having an. opening upwardly each translatable andeachhaving means passing through a slot in a corresponding side wall andconnected to said element, said bars being ennection with the take-uproll.

j ;-in position to prevent vintroduction of the hand, 1 and smoothingmeans -on the cabinet engaged by '1 the, soiledtoweling and againstwhich i the smooth-ingmeans of said element holds the soiled towelingwhen said-element'is in'position to prewent introduction of the hand. 7j I t 1.3. A towel dispensing apparatus including a "ii-cabinet fhavingtherein a soiled towel takeup roll, said cabinet havingan openingupwardly 1 through which the toweling can be introduced to be connected:to'said :take-up roll, a partitioning 3 element whichisrmovable towardand away from awall of the cabinet to provide sufiicient space V 1 toallow ihandiintroduction of the toweling jfor 1 connection :with thetakeuproll, a door on-th'e f -cabinet,and means for moving .saidpartitioning pelement'toward and away from the cabinet wall respectivelyto prevent :and permit introduction 1 of the hand, .saidimeans includingtwo translatable bars and means connecting each bar to said element,said bars beingengageab-le to be :moved by said'cloo'r when closing, tomovesaid partitionopening upwardly 'through whic'h the toweling canbeintroduced to be -connected to said take- ,up roll; the rear wall ofsaid chamber being 1 entirely formed by a partitioning element which V vessence '1 "gageame any the :closeddoor .to hold the element towelgtfilkfillDfIOll operated shy said mechanism, the bottom wall of theouter casing forming :the sole support for a roll :of clean toweling,the

bottom wall of said outer casing having an ,open- 7 .d-ng sufiicientlylarge to allow the hand to be gPQJSSGd upwardly :behinda roll of cleantoweling which rests on the bottom wall of the outer ceasing; aforwardly, convexly, curved partition element arranged rearwardly of theclean'towel roll, and means pivoting the partition by its :lower side tothe stationary unitlimmediately adjacent the bottom walllotthe casing,said :pa-rtition being movable independently of said stationary unitforwardlytto provide sufficient spa ceto permit hand introduction of thetoweling upwardly through said opening, said pivoted partition having av-rearwardly turned upper edge Whichacts to smooth the toweling on'itsway to the takeeup-roll. V I t 7.. Atowel dispensing cabinet comprising,an outer casing,said casing having a towel dispensingymechanism therein,including side plates se- .cured in the cabinet leachlhaving a frontflange, said dispensing mechanism "having -,a soiled towel take-uproll.and said casing having in its bottom an opening to allowpassage of thehand upqwardly for connection of the toweling with the take-up roll, apivoted partition element between the side plates adapted to swing to .aposition to prevent passage of the hand tolconnect the to we1ing withthe ,rolLmeans with which means 5 On-saidpartitiOn when in said positioncooperates to smooth the toweling before it reaches the take-up roll,said partition acting as the back separates the clean fromthe soiledtoweling as ,the'latter' moves upwardly 'to' the soiled towel,

takeup roll, said pa-rti'tion" element being pivoted "by its bottom tosaid sidewalls immediately ad- I 'lacent said bottom wall and beingmovable 1 toward and away from therear wall of the cabi j-net to providesufiicient space to allow hand in-- "troduction of the toweling upwardlyfor con- "5. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet havinga'idoor and having therein, a ysoiled towel takeup roll, said cabinethaving an opening upwardly through which the toweling- *c'an 'beintroduced-to beconnec ted'to'said take-up roll, an upright pivotedplate within the cabinet }which is movable independently of sidewalls ofthe cabinet toward and away from the rear wall of the cabinet toprovide-suficient space to allow lhand introduction of the toweling forconnection with the takeup roll, a pairof bars one attached to :eachopposite side of said movable plate,

1 means mounting said-bars for translation on'the side walls to move theplate toward and away wall of a-clean towel supply chamber, a doorclosing the supply chamber and means connected to said partitionnelementslidable on said plates and slidable in said .i-langes and accessible atthefront of the cabinet and operable by hand for moving said partitionelementfto prevent or --r. e1'rr1it passage of the hand through theopenki g, said means projecting at the front of the cabinet and beingengageable 'by'the door to be -heldagainst outward movement when thedoor is closed, whereby to .hold lthe'partition in' towel smoothing:position and prevent introduction of 8. vll-towel dispensing cabinetcomprising, an

' 'outer casing, said casing having a towel dispenssecured in thecabinet each having a front flange, said .dispensingmechanism having asoiled towel take-up roll and said casing having in its bottom from 'arear cabinet wall respectively to prevent r and permit introduction ofthe 'hand, said bars having portions disposed'rfor engagement by said 7,door to move -'the bars to move the plate to a l i position topreventintroduction of the hand, the Lcloscd door thereafter acting to hold'thebars in @said position, said bars when in holding position projecting'sufiiciently atthe-front of the cabinet to 1103 engaged by the fingersand "pulled outward'ly; l

ing mechanism therein, including side plates arr-opening toallowlpassage of the hand upwardly ior connection. of the toweling withthe take-up roll, a pivoted partition element between the plates adaptedto swing to a position to prevent passage of .thevhand to connect thetoweling with the .roll, means with which means on said partition whenin said position cooperates to smooth the toweling before it reaches thetakeup ,roll, said partition acting as the back wall of a clean towelsupply chamber, a door closing the supply chamber and bars connectedtosaidparti- 'tion element slidable on said plates and slidable in saidflanges andaccessible at the front of the cabinet and operable .by, handfor moving said partition element to prevent 0r permit passage 6. Atowel dispensing-apparatus including an :outer casing :havinga door andhaving detachg ably secured therein -a stationary-unit upon'which I 7 adispensing mechanism :is mounted, -.a :soiled of .the hand intosmoothing and non-smoothing relation with said smoothing means, saidbars projecting rat the front of the cabinet and'being engageable by thedoor to be held against outward movement when the door is closed,whereby 3 to hold the partition in towel smoothing position andrpreventintroduction of the hand.

9. A towel dispensing cabinet comprising, an outer casing having abottom, said casing having a unit towel dispensing mechanism therein,including sides, said dispensing mechanism having a soiled towel take-uproll and said casing having in its bottom an opening to allow passage ofthe hand upwardly for connection of the toweling with the take-up roll,a partition element within the cabinet pivoted on and between said sidesto swing to a position to prevent passage of the hand to connect thetoweling with the roll, means with which means on said partition when insaid position cooperates to smooth the toweling before it reaches thetake-up roll, said partition acting as the back wall of a clean towelsupply chamber, said sides being detachably connected to the casing,whereby the entire unit, including the smoothing means, can be removed.

10. A towel dispensing cabinet comprising, an outer casing having abottom, said casing having therein a unit towel dispensing mechanismthere in, including sides, said dispensing mechanism having a soiledtowel take-up roll and said casing having in its bottom an opening toallow passage of the hand upwardly for connection of the toweling withthe take-up roll, smoothing means cross-connecting and securing saidsides together, a partition element within the casing pivoted on andbetween said sides to swing to a position to prevent passage of the handto connect the toweling with the roll, and having smoothing meanscooperable with the aforementioned smoother means to smooth usedtoweling, said partition acting as the back wall of a clean towel supplychamber, said sides being detachably connected to the casing, wherebythe entire unit, including the partitioning element, and smoothing meanscan be removed.

11. A towel dispensing apparatus including a cabinet comprising an outercasing and an inner unit, and means detachably securing the said unit tothe outer casing, said inner unit comprising a pair of spaced uprightplates, a pair of smoother bars cross-connecting the plates, and meansby which said bars act to secure said plates in unit-forming relation, asoiled towel takeup roll journaled on said plates, said bars acting tosmooth the soiled toweling on its way to said takeup roll, and a movableelement having smoothing means adapted to cooperate with said bars andtoweling to hold the towel in smoothing relation with said bars, saidmovable element being pivoted to and extending between said plates.

RUDOLPH G. BIRR. ALBERT C. GRUNWALD.

